Gen-Lock : Hannya
by Delloid
Summary: This endless war, I must find a way to end it. It may be cruel to subject them to this fate when we should be the ones shielding them.
1. Chapter 1

"What are they? Are they machines? like androids of sort?"

"Shh."

The mechanics looks at the man in lab coat, exiting the Hornbill with a troop of pilots. On their data pad, they are register under the Experimental Science Unit, however, the crest on the chest plate of the pilots shows a sparrow insignia.

The pilots are about the same height from the others, the mechanics have a hard time telling if they were male or female from their pilot gears.

The lack of movement, rather normal human interactions puzzles the mechanics more. A normal human being would at least show movement of their heads, looking around the facility or the people working there.

Before any escorts arrives, the pilots showed no movement, standing still like a machine and not once shows any signs of fidgeting.

"Professor Ye wen." Colonel Raquel Marin and her escorts exits the lift and approaches their guests.

"I was told that you were too busy to make a personal appearance."

"I was told the Anvil base went up in smoke, lost with all hands ." Ye Wen replies back as they are escort into the Command deck.

"You changed since the last time we spoke."

"Enough with the small talk, let us get to the point." Ye Wen looks at his pilots and back at Raquel Marin. "The ESU pledge to help the Vanguard does in this pointless war, it does not mean I'm allowing you to act the same as others, using these children as a disposable tool."

"I understand. I promise-"

Ye Wen raises his hand, stopping Raquel Marin.

"I have heard enough of promises in this lifetime. So, let me be clear on where we stand. Sparrow company is here to provide long range support and weapon testing. If the battle turns against the favor of Vanguard, our support will be immediately withdrawn from the battlefield."

Raquel Marin nods her head.

"I'm sorry." Ye Wen turns around, back facing Raquel Marin. "If we had met under a different situation, one without a pointless conflict, we all could-"

Ye wen stops himself from continuing, takes a deep breath to compose himself, not allowing his emotions to overtake him.

"Please, I ask of you take care of them and make sure no harm falls onto them. Not as an order but a request as a friend. They are more than soldiers; they are my family."

"I will. Old Friend."

As the door of the hornbill begins to raise, the children salute toward Ye Wen, sending him off.

* * *

[Episode 1: Sparrows]

"Remind me again, why are we here?" one of the Strider pilots questioned his team leader as they exited the Hornbill. "Our weapons are nowhere near effective range at this distance from the battlefield."

"Special order from the Colonel." Team leader replied back while surveying their area for any potential ambushes. "We are to provide support for the ESU pilots."

"Baby sitting? You can't be serious. We should be out there kicking ass and earn some medals or bragging rights."

"We have our orders, move out and secure the landing zone for the ESU."

A cliffside overlooking the flat plain was the perfect view and firing zone for any Artillery crew. Three Hornbills could be seen flying towards them in a V shape formation. The two leading Hornbills opened up the doors and white Holons can be seen dropping down, much like excitied recruits exiting the hornbills before fully landing back in the training days.

These white Holons had blue marking on the chest plate, the arms and the backs. The helmet of these white Holons were design base on Hoplite helmet. The plume of the helmet was replaced with a blue metal curve.

They were equipped MAUS experimental Anti-material rifle on one hand and a shield on the other. They arranged themselves into a firing squad as the lagging hornbill lands.

The Strider pilots were about to make fun of the Hornbill in the way it settled down like a rookie flight pilot as it scratched the base of the hornbills, till they saw what was being unloaded.

A massive cat like mech being unloaded. The width of the mech was three Strider long. When it fully extends, it was the almost the height of a standard Holon's chest.

"That's a big cat."

The mech movements were loud, probably from the amount missiles pods strapped onto the sides of the legs. At the back of the beast was a large single cannon.

* * *

"A joint operation?"

The Hornbill carrying Chase and his team were halfway towards the battlefield after their previous mission in the city nearby.

"Fire Support will provide what they can from their position." Raquel Marin replied as she showed the location of Sparrows.

"I'm sure we can handle the Union mechs by-" Cammie looks as red pings began showing up on the map. "On second thought, Fire Support seems like a good idea."

"Striders? Did they have weapon upgrades?" Yaz studied the layout of the battlefield.

"Sparrows will be providing Fire Support."

"Sparrows? What kind of name is that? Naming after the smallest and most harmless bird?" Cammie laughed at the idea of small birds fighting union soldiers.

"Sparrows are noble creatures." Kazu countered back. "You shouldn't be laughing, the design your Holon look like a rabbit, which is a prey to most animals."

* * *

"Fire support commencing. All units please deploy Anchors. 0-2-5, Authorisation for the usage of the Experimental Howler missiles granted." The voice of the female operator for Sparrows pilot's helmet.

The cat like mech anchored itself to the ground by slamming down the supports that were located at the back of each legs. The hatch of the missile pods sprung open, revealing rows of missiles hidden in it.

The White Holons readied their rifles as an extra support attachment latched onto the rifle on the holding arm.

0-2-5 typed onto the keyboard as fast as possible, making sure all calculations were correct and minimizing friendly fire onto Chase team, who were in the getting surrounded by the minutes.

"Green light, Green light"

Rows of Howler missiles flew out from their missile pods, howling in the air like a pack of wolves signalling for the hunt to being as they flew towards the Union forces.

These caught the attention of Union troops as Spider-Tanks began to divert their attentions towards the incoming missiles instead of Chase and his team.

The Spider-Tanks were trained to shoot down Vanguard's missiles after being used against them for a long while. Cannons mounted on the Spider-Tanks began gunning down the missiles with ease.

"First wave ineffective." The female operator reports. "Prepare second wave."

Second wave of Howler missiles exited the pods, with the similar result of getting shot down before reaching the ranks of Union forces.

"Two second. Left side. Cockpit." 0-2-5 replied back.

"Roger. Left side Cockpit." The White Holon's pilots replied.

The rifles of the White Holons swift slightly to the left.

"Emptying all pods. Proceeding with Burning Big Bang."

A massive dust clouds kicks up as the massive cat like mech emptied all remaining missiles within seconds. The cannon on the beast's back remained silent.

* * *

"Cammie, get out of the area!" Chase shouted as the missiles flew past him and towards the Cammie's position.

"What's going on?!" Cammie saw her radar began flooding with warning signs. "Why are they firing at us!"

Her Holon could be seen waving her arms in panic as the waves of missiles approached her general area.

It was too late for Cammie to escape the bombardment area as the remaining eighty percent of the missiles slammed towards the ground.

There was a moment of silence between both sides as side prepare to hear a loud explosion following the motion of missiles slamming towards the ground.

"Duds?" Cammie looked at the missiles, zooming in onto the picture labelled on the missiles that were planted onto the ground around them.

The label shows a comical picture of a teary eyes Holon being tossed up into the air.

"Huh?"

Di- Di -Di -Diiiiiiiii

The missiles blasted both Cammie Holon and Union forces into the air with ease.

She could hear sound of metal and glass shattering around her.

Rounds from the MAUS Experimental anti material rifles pierced the thick Armor plating of the Spider-Tanks cockpits and exited the other end.

The White Holons and Valentina picked off the helpless Spider-Tanks that were blasted into the air, while Kazu watched from his position, unable to hit any of them with his fist or weapons.

Chase's Holon raced towards Cammie's Holon and grabbed onto her before she fell down with the rest of the Union forces.

The Union immediately withdrew with their remaining forces. The Vanguard soldiers capture the remaining troops, who were knock out by the blast of the Howler missiles.

* * *

"Test concluded and a report have been sent. Success deployment of the Experimental weapons." The female operator reports back to Professor Ye Wen from her station. "Howler missiles are effective against the newer Holons."

"Good Work. Clearance for other experimental weapons have been approved for usage on the battlefield." Ye Wen paused as he rubbed his chin as view the reports on his end. "Have 0-2-5 mingle with the Holon Team in Anvil."

"Sir?"

"We have to keep an eye on them. Even if they are our allies in arm."

"Yes Sir. I will send the order immediately."


	2. Chapter 2

[Episode 2: 0-2-5]

The personal A.I, Magnus opus, materialize herself on the holo-table behind Professor Ye Wen after the report of the experimental weapons had been sent. She has the appearance of a slender lady with long hair, dawns in a ballroom gown and a butterfly mask which covers her eyes.

"Why do you sent 0-2-5 alone to mingle with the rest of Doctor Rufus Weller pets?" A.I Magnus opus questions Professor Ye Wen decision. "0-2-5 may be one of the few subjects that showed variation in Project LETHE. Having 0-2-5 expose to them may affect the future judgement as both leader and pilot of Sparrows."

"Magnus," Ye Wen replied back with a sigh. "You still have a lot of things to learn about humans. Making illogical choices and bad judgement call is what makes us, human, in the first place. If we were logical as A.I, we wouldn't need to fight over mindless stuff such as ideology or a piece of land. I want 0-2-5 to learn to be more human than he is currently, I owe that much to HIM."

"The words you spoken now and those words that you set out to achieve when Project LETHE was given the green light, were completely in conflict."

"And so, you are here to remind me of how I am still a human. Thank you, Magnus opus." Ye wen let out a laugh as he pushed up his glasses. "Prepare the next batch of equipment for the Sparrows to play."

* * *

As the team returned back to Anvil, a black suited sparrow pilot followed chase and his team around, observing and without making a sound. The pilot wasn't sneaking or concealing the identity by wearing a helmet and the suit in the Anvil base.

It was the order, mingle with Chase and his team.

The pilot, in full kit, was shorter than most but a head taller than Cammie without measuring her accessories on her head.

The presence of the black suit pilot was mostly tolerated by the team as they thought the pilot was going to the same destination as them.

Even Colonel Raquel Marin was confused why the Sparrow pilot is standing with Chase and his team when they were debriefing of the joint operation with Sparrows.

Chase broke the silent and turned around after they left the room.

"Do you need something?"

"Apologize." The pilot replied, but due to his monotone voice, none could say if he answered in a sincere way. "For shooting at your teammate. During the test."

"So, you are the one!" Cammie was still hopping mad about getting blown up by the experimental Howler missiles. "Why I-"

"She accepts your apology." Chase cuts off Cammie words, hoping they would not be in conflict with the other.

" …. "

" …. "

"Is there something else?" Chase wasn't sure why the pilot followed them after apologising to them.

Silent. That was the response that the pilot gave to them.

* * *

This was getting creepy as the time past.

"Chase, buy us some time. We shall split up and meet back at the bunk." Cammie whispered to the group.

On three, the team raced their separate ways at the crossroad as Chase tried to stall the pilot.

The pilot tilts the head slightly, wondering why they ran.

"We are playing hide and seek. You have to find one of us within ten minutes in order to win." Chase gave an awkward smile as he knew he was bad at lying. "I'm -I'm going to hide now."

With that Chase hologram disappeared, leaving the Sparrow pilot alone in the crossroad.

"I think we lost him." Cammie pants as she took the longest route back to the bunk. "Any of you being followed?"

"I doubt so." Kazu replied.

"Me neither." Valentine continued.

Chase materialized beside Yaz, who sealed the door to the bunk with a password encryption.

"Even if he is able to find us, I doubt he have enough time to break through the door." Yaz comments as she looked at the team.

"I feel bad leaving him there, what if he- "Chased paused. "What the- "

* * *

The Pilot wasn't lost and knew he wasn't able to find the team within ten minutes.

He heads back to the lift, readied to report back of his failure to mingle with Chase and his team.

As luck will have it, Caliban was riding the lift after retrieving some equipment. Caliban eyes noticed the suit that the pilot was wearing. A variation of the prototype suit, different from Chase and his team were wearing.

The design and concept retained and the only few understood Rufus Weller's idea.

"How is Professor Ye Wen? I missed the opportunity to meet him."

The pilot looks back at the machine. Its voice was vaguely familiar.

"Fine." The pilot replied in the usual monotone voice.

"What were your orders?"

"Mingle. Chase and his team."

"How is the progress?"

"Failure."

The lift opens to the work station that Chase was kept in. The place had seen better days. Bullet holes and burn marks scarred the floor and walls.

Caliban didn't object to the company of the Pilot, even though the pilot did not have the necessary permission to access this area. His attention focusses on the body within the containment.

"Oh, that is Chase."

The Pilot turned around to acknowledge Caliban words before turning around to look at the Chase's body. The containment that house Chases was familiar and yet alien to the Pilot.

"You, how did you get access." Chase hologram materialised.

The Pilot simply turned around and look at Caliban, which answered Chase question.

"I won."

"Huh?"

"Ten minutes. Find Chase or his team. Chase found." The pilot points to Chase's body instead of his Hologram.

"Oh right, I have forgotten about that."

"You should introduce yourself." Caliban suggested. "That is how the first step of mingling works."

"0-2-5" 0-2-5 answered with pauses in between the numbers.

"Your name is 0-2-5?" Chase was expecting something else instead of a series of numbers. "Do you have other name that I can call you by?"

"025" 0-2-5 replied without pauses this time, it was how Ye Wen called for him back at base.

"Are you a machine?"

"Human."

"You should take off your helmet. It is easier to mingle with your targets." Caliban suggested in a way that 0-2-5 could understand.

0-2-5 reached for the lock underneath his helmet and deactivate it before taking it out.

Pale in skin tone, short black hair and blue eyes.

0-2-5 looks were familiar to Caliban. In Rufu's memories, there was a man with an exact look to 0-2-5.

An older but matching pilot in his young adult age.

"Why do you wear you suit and helmet in the base?" Chase was curious about it.

"Ever ready." 0-2-5 replied. "Trained. Less time wasted."

"Do you suffer from an impediment?" Caliban asked.

"No." 0-2-5 replied. "Short. To the point. Easier to relay message."

"Child soldiers." Caliban told Chase. "I didn't expect him to pull off such proposal."

"Like Cammie?" Chase was confused about what Caliban meant.

"Not like Cammie. Child Soldiers, train and indoctrinated below the legal age."

"I'm surprise, even for a Rufus 2.0, your reasoning and deduction remained intact like those of your creator."

Ye Wen voice could be heard on the inner speaker of the helmet.

"However, knowing this, I feel safer leaving Sparrows in Anvil."

"How could you, creating Child soldiers…."

"Spare me the moral arguments, Chase. We have long past the point of arguing morality when this mindless war started."

"Even so, we mustn't ignore the fact that what you did is unethical. They are children!"

Ye Wen let out a sigh from his end, rubbing his temple with his hand. The argument was made countless of time over countless of people he needed to get Project LETHE to proceed.

"So, it is moral to experiment on a dying pilot? Subjecting him to an experiment that he had no control over? Are those moral or Just?"

"I…"

It was clear who Ye Wen was referring to. After all, Ye wen was there to observe the process of the first Gen-lock project.

"Morality is the first casualty of war. Do not forget that."

There was a pause before Ye wen continued.

"There is no need to lurk in the shadows. The sound of the doors opening gave your position away from the start."

The rest of the team walks out from the shadow.

"How much did you hear?"

"Everything, from the Child soldier part." Cammie said as the team looked at 0-2-5 without his helmet.


	3. Chapter 3

[Episode 3: Liger]

"Don't be mistaken. It's neither a slip of the tongue nor me opening up for a confession." Ye Wen comments.

"So why share with us now?" Yaz asked.

"Do not be mistaken, I'm not sharing any information about Sparrows. This is merely the fact that they are child soldiers through normal human observation."

"Why have 025 mingle with us?" Chase questioned as he looked at 0-2-5, who stood his position like a night watch sentry in Anvil.

"I want him to learn, to improve his efficiency and effectiveness as the leader of the Sparrows. That is all to it."

Ye wen wasn't lying when he replied to Chase question, however it felt that he wasn't telling them the whole truth.

* * *

0-2-5 cycled between managing Sparrows activities and observing Yaz and the remaining team training with their Holons and individual marksmanship.

Their needs to show off individual prowess on the battlefield was an alien concept to 0-2-5. Would it not be better if they fought with a single mind?

Should he incorporate these exercises with Sparrows? That was the question that came to his mind as the days past without a single Union attack. This could allow him to understand more about them and learn, like what Professor Ye Wen said.

0-2-5 shook his head.

What if another attack occurs during these exercises? Sparrows and the rest would be caught off guard. Returning back to the mechs and stations would cost them precious time. These precious times would cost lives.

These were drilled into their minds when they were commissioned into service.

Besides, special area that were cornered off for Sparrows pilots to train in physical exercise should suffice. It was nearer to their stations.

0-2-5 focus his attentions back to the new experimental weapons that were transported, only taking off his helmet when eating their own military ration while on the move.

* * *

"I'm not sure how to put it-" Miguel looked at the information that he was limited to fixing Sparrows units. "I just caught myself complaining about less information that was given to me to maintain these units."

"What's up?" Cammie and Chase walked beside Miguel as he trying put two and two together in his mind.

"Oh hey, I'm just trying to figure it out on how they survived in these units." Miguel explained as he points to the weapon on the White Holon's arm. "I know its still experimental but this is just impractical. The whole unit, it's almost as if production was rushed, like your first Holon frames during training. Without Anchor holding onto the rifle, the Holon arm will be blown off from its socket by its mere recoil."

"So, they aren't ready for combat?" Cammie tried hacking into the Holon but was denied entry each time, that didn't persuade her to stop trying to hack it.

"They are ready for combat. However-" Miguel load up a simulation setting on his data pad, comparing current Gen-lock Holons to the Sparrow's White Holons. "On a one on one fighting situation, your team is sure to win in every situation against them. Hand to Hand, Range, Mobility, etc. However, if my guess is correct, they aren't meant to fight as individuals."

"Go on." Chase want to know more about how Sparrows deployed and their plans of attack.

Miguel showed the formation similar to this morning joint operation. Chase Holon appeared and flew towards the Sparrows in a combat scenario. The moment Chase Holon reached within the minimum effective range of the Experimental Maus rifles firing distance, two out of ten important components of the Holon was immediately shot off by the combine firing of the White Holons.

"Evasive manoeuvres, camouflage, speed and even a head on charge, the results are the same. They are able to cover each other weakness, both human and mechanical."

"No big deal." Cammie scoff at the idea of their Holons losing in the simulation. "We could do the same if we outnumbered them too."

"That's not the only thing you should be worry about." Miguel points at the opposite side, where a special hangar is constructed to house the cat like mech that 0-2-5 pilots.

"A Puma!" Cammie said, catching the two-off guard by her comment.

"What is a Puma?" Miguel looked at Chase for an answer.

"Like the shoe company?"

"No! it's a big cat, like a lion." Cammie points to its size in compare to a Strider.

"You are making that up." Miguel raised an eyebrow.

"I'm telling ya! It's a real animal!"

"Liger." 0-2-5 interrupts them as he walked towards the hangar, in full gear.

"0-2-5, why are you here?" Cammie asked.

"Stop Hacking." 0-2-5 points to Cammie and replied in his usual monotone voice. "Annoying."

Cammie responded by looking away, whistling as the other two looked at her.

"Please. Continue." O-2-5 looked at the group for a moment before turning around and returning back to the hangar lift.

"Liger, that giant cat like mech over there. That's the real deal and the main threat to any enemies facing them." Miguel looked at Sparrows own engineers loading up missiles into the missile pods of the Liger.

"So, the commander gets the special treatment?"

"Wouldn't it be the same if you are sending out the most important of your team?" Miguel replied to Cammie. "That aside, these missiles pods were designed to carry more than one variation of missiles."

"So, it's greatest advantage is a missiles spam?"

"Actually, that's one of the advantages and also it's disadvantage. The whole missiles pods strapping onto it, is the main issues." Miguel holds up his data-pad, close in to the Liger's front legs, which are blinking red, indicating parts that needed changing.

"Not only carrying the missiles but firing everything at once causes the systems to stress up, it also damage the mobility of the mech."

Miguel paused, allowing the two to sink in the information they needed.

"I have heard from my friends about these lines of models. They came with different equipment, depending on the type of missions that they are heading towards. However, their needs of consuming large amount of energy and slower manoeuvres were heavily frown upon by current generation of mech pilots. Only ten were ever made into service."


	4. Chapter 4

[Episode 4: All too quiet]

0-2-5 stood at the back of his team runs through the data that were allocated to them. Combat data, trends of attack, type of weaponry that the Union deployed against Vanguard. 0-2-5 was intrigued on the Nemesis, not because of its design of the mech but the threat it poses to the Gen-lock team.

From the first encounter to the first Nemesis being taken down, 0-2-5 spent no expenses on trying to identify the weak points, rewinding and slowing down the video time after time.

"Nanotech." 0-2-5 concluded that the only way to disable Nemesis was to punch a hole into the side armour with the MAUS experimental rifles, that would force the Nanotech to repair instead of defending or morphing an arm into weapons and close in with a weapon of sort, that could function the same as a Electrostatic discharge used by Chase during his fight with the Behemoth, to disable the nanotech that is either repairing or shielding the gap.

Disabling the Nemesis before finishing it off in one fell swoop.

No. It couldn't be that simple.

If the effectiveness of the ESD could have disable the Union nanotech, why didn't the Vanguard deploy them in larger quantity or improve on the charging time of this weapon?

Surely the Union wasn't that stupid enough to be constantly getting their own nanotech to be shutdown without a counter measure.

Behemoth anti-air weapons shot down the Interceptors carrying the ESD could hint that Union had trained or at least detect traces of the ESD.

That or the bright blue glow of the charging ESD makes them curious like a cat.

Either way, whosever carrying the ESD becomes a priority target by the Union forces.

What are the other solutions?

Pilot Cameron MacCloud was able to disable the nanotech through hacking when the Gen-lock team caught the Nemesis off guard during their last encounter.

This was something impossible for the Sparrows to pull it off.

How about destroying the environment around it, such as tall building?

0-2-5 shook his head.

Civilian casualties and damages to civilian structures would be too high of a price to pay for bringing down one single Nemesis.

What about catapulting fully charged ESD from a distance?

Surely it is the safest, long range bombardment of charged ESDs towards the target. However, they would be clay pigeons in a shooting range, begging to be shot down in the air, once launched.

Back to square one.

0-2-5 listed down his ideas and sent them to the Professor Ye Wen for recommendation. As he pressed the sent button on the screen, the alarms in Anvil blared. 0-2-5 signalled the pilots to prepare at the moment notice.

Able voice could be heard, calling for Sparrows and Gen-lock team to assemble in the Command centre. There were other code names being called out, telling them to report to their battle station, none of which 0-2-5 heard or interact with before.

* * *

0-2-5 and Gen-lock team heads towards the command centre, preparing to be brief on the mission.

"Multiple Union forces have been deployed, hitting cities and farming industry." Colonel Raquel Marlin showed the map and the location of the attack. "I'm deploying all of the reserves toward minor cities that were attack, while your team handles the main assault."

0-2-5 studied the map, something about these attacks seem odd.

Union forces were too fragmented. Spreading out their forces with no way of reinforcing the flanks?

"Sparrows will be deployed at the back to assist. However, no experimental weapon would be deployed, I'm not leveling the whole cities and streets in this mission."

0-2-5 salutes in respond to Colonel Raquel Marlin commands.

Liger's top mounted Cannon and Missiles pods were stripped off by the hangar's claws, revealing a white coat of paint underneath it. MAUS rifles were replaced with standard issued weapons Sniper rifles.

0-2-5 instructed his team to equip the Liger with SIEGFRIED type lll armour set, which was sent along with along with the new sets of Experimental weapons.

This armour set was meant to increase Liger class mechs armour without sacrificing speed and maneuverability. Considered to be the lightest weighing armour within the Heavy armour classification.

SIEGFRIED type lll armour set consists of two smaller forward-facing cannons, two mounted smokescreen launchers at the back and retractable blades on its heels.

Its black tint armour covered most of Liger body and the head, where the cockpit resides.

The red markings outline parts of Liger, even changing the gold tint of the cockpit to red, matching the colour scheme.

* * *

The escorts were slightly on edge as they saw the new armour Liger exiting the Hornbill. The colour scheme reminded them of Union and the fearsome look of Nemesis.

Vanguard and the others seem to handle their position with ease, not one Union forces leaked out and engage Sparrows and the escort.

Vanguard casualties were kept to the minimum while inflicting mass damage to the Unions.

However, this was the concern that 0-2-5 had as he activates a map of the attacks.

It makes sense for Union forces to attack the cities, as they could use their nanotech to capture populations. However, farming industries use mostly machines and had the least population in compare to the cities. Attacking that area would make the least sense.

Unless-

Lose the battle, Win the war.

The attacks were to mask the real objective of the Union attack.

0-2-5 turns the Liger around and his team followed after him without questioning. The escorts were confused as they saw them running off.

"Hey, come back here!" one of the Strider pilots shouted in the radio.

"Where are you heading?" Colonel Raquel Marlin watched as the marker of Sparrows getting further away from the escorts sent to protect them.

"Colonel. Cities. Diversion. Real target. Food Industry." 0-2-5 reports back. "Sparrows. Heading out."

"Colonel?" The striders await for her orders.

"Go after them" Colonel Raquel Marlin ordered the escorts.

* * *

"Colonel?! Anyone?!"

On the defence of the Farming industries, Vanguard forces were massacred by the overwhelming Union Forces.

Any request for backup were replied in silence. Their radar became useless, forcing them to rely on their eyes.

"What are we going to do?! We are screwed!"

The remaining Vanguard troopers hunkered down behind downed Striders and interceptors, spending their remaining bullets onto the Union forces.

"Enemy! At our six!" One of the Vanguard soldiers screamed in fear as a huge figure clad in black armour raced towards them with smoke coming out from its back.

The ground shook as the black clad mech closed in the Vanguard forces.

It was the end.

As the Vanguard troopers covered their eyes and ducked their heads, bracing for the end, the Black clad mech leaped into the air.

The Vanguard troopers watched as the Mech teared through the front ranks of Spider-Tanks and Union troopers alike with its front claws and body mass. Two canisters of Smokescreen ejected out from the launchers and lands on both flanks of the Vanguard forces.

"Retreat. Now."

A voice could be heard from the external speaker of the Mech.

The Vanguard forces neither stop and question who was the mysterious Mech unit nor protest on the command of a glowing red like eye peering back at them within the smoke.

The Escorts barely caught up with the Sparrows after unloading from the Hornbill. They could see the faces of the surviving friendlies racing out of the area, some helping the wounded.

"That couldn't be right, the radar showed that we are winning, how did the table turn against us?"

"Don't trust the Radar!" One of the troopers waved to get the pilots attentions. "Union forces found a way to mess with the Radar!"

Back at the battlefield, the union paused its attack as the mech briefly revealed itself from the smoke.

A massive cat like mech with almost the same colour scheme as Union forces, letting out a roar as if challenging them to a fight.

"Combat Synchronization. Sparrows." 0-2-5 ordered as his black suit lit up with red marking, similar to Liger.


	5. Chapter 5

[Episode 5: Symphony]

0-2-5, dressed in a black swallowtail vest and a formal attire, stood at the conductor position. The rest of his team sat down on their chairs, with a musical instrument on their hand, ready for 0-2-5 to start the show. Their eyes showed no wavering or questioning, fully trusting in 0-2-5 to lead them.

0-2-5 picked up the stick and aimed high in the air, closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The spotlight shone onto him after the curtains parts away.

This is their stage; this is their version of MindShare. Playing against a background of empty rows of seats. All but one seat was filled, one audience sitting patiently for the performance to begin.

The barrels of the smoke launchers began to spin as new canisters began to load into the empty chambers.

With a swift wave of the stick, the musical performance began.

* * *

Canisters after canisters of smoke screen being shot out by the launchers, exploding mid-air around both friends and foes.

As the smoke expands, Liger ran circles as bullets and cannon fires lands around it, missing or bouncing off the armour.

Union forces had no troubles tracking Liger movements within the smoke as they did not suffer from similar problems as the Vanguard.

Two shots could be heard, nanotech was quick to respond by blocking the bullets of the Sniper rifles before they reached the Spider Tanks.

Just as the nanotech shields the Spider Tanks, Liger pounced forward with great speed, ripping into the cockpit of the Spider Tanks with its massive front claws, before racing out into the next patch of smoke.

The front cannons kept the nanotech on the defensive as Liger rams the smaller enemy mechs with its head, causing most of them to topple over and injuring the Union troopers that were unfortunate to be beside them.

Shots from the sniper rifles sang along with the rhythm of the attack, providing both cover fire and picking off stragglers that were badly damaged by the Liger.

The escorts could see flashes of red marking dancing back and forth within the smokescreen, unable to help as their own radar showed only Friendlies markers. They held back, not wanting to hit Liger with their weaponry, only picking off those that strayed into their line of fire.

0-2-5 waved his stick as if in a trance like state as Liger tears through ranks after ranks of enemies. The music intensifies as the team matched 0-2-5 pace.

The White Holons unloads their emptied magazines and reloads a fresh set in synchronicity, before firing again from a distance. Liger levelled enemies mechs with a clean cut using its retractable blades found in its heels.

Union forces signaled a retreat after seeing their losses piles up. It was not worth fighting the unknown foes in a head on battle.

0-2-5 prepares the instruct the final line of command as the smokescreen began to fade in the battlefield.

As the smoke cleared, the escorts looked in awe. Liger stood on the pile of mech debris.

With this, he ends by spreading his arms apart, turning around and faced the audience. They bowed together as a team.

Liger roared in victory as the White Holons regrouped with it.

"Area Secured." 0-2-5 reports back as the red marking on his suit faded.

"No way, they did all these without our help." The escort pilots looked in awe as they surveyed the remains. "Remind me again, why are we needed to escort them?"

"Colonel's orders. Take it up with her if you want."

"Pass. I want to enjoy my holidays after all of these."

0-2-5 noticed a drone machine underneath Liger's front claws. It had a Union emblem on its shell.

Could it be this drone that cause the havoc today?

The White Holons removed a container at their back and begin collecting similar damaged drones found in the battlefield. Liger would sink its claw and rips apart mechs with its front jaws. Almost like a wild cat feasting on its meal.

"Are they scavenging Union techs?"

* * *

"0-2-5, do you understand that you could not simply abandon your position and report. There are rules. Not only do you risk other lives, you could have been killed out there." Colonel Raquel Marlin began scolding 0-2-5 and his team in her office after they returned back to Anvil.

They remained silence and lowered their heads.

"However, I am grateful for your team to rescue the surviving Vanguard forces. Be it intentional or not."

Again, silence.

Colonel Raquel Marlin sighed as she rubbed her temple. She was used to someone talking back to her, perhaps arguing a point. 0-2-5 and his team however, were like machine when trying to talk to them. Responding only when needed.

"Reports from the Escorts state that your team was scavenging from the piles of destroyed Union mechs. Why is that so and what did you find."

"Understanding new technology. Changing of tactics. Drones."

Unlike the Vanguard and other parts of the ESU, Professor Ye Wen did not frown upon the technology used by the Union. In every skirmish against the Union, Ye Wen would instruct recovery team to salvage any new technologies that were used against them.

"In order to win any fight, you must understand your enemies. It is often showed it their weaponry. The crueler and nastier a weapon is, the more desperate the enemies becomes. Salvage after every fight, no matter the condition of the weapon that is in, break it apart and study it. In times, use the very same technology employed by the enemies and use it against them." Professor Ye Wen words rang deep in their mind with the lesson he gave back at the ESU branch. "This will be needed if our allies were to turn against us or we deem the path they took needed correcting. We should prepare for the worst, where the Vanguard wins and becomes the very enemies we fought against."

This was drilled into all units.

0-2-5 had Sparrows engineers dissects apart the drones that were recovered as soon as they landed in Anvil. This was to ensure they new what is the technology that was recovered before Vanguard orders to dispose of them.

Miguel Garza was impressed by the rate of the Sparrows engineers ripping apart a damaged drone and studying them. Migas presences was also ignored by the Sparrows engineers as he approached them out of curiousness.


	6. Chapter 6

[Episode 6: Mechanical Heaven part 1]

"Professor"

Magnus Opus voice could be heard, trying to wake him up.

"Professor"

"I'm up." Ye Wen opened his eyes, finding himself lying on the floor of the engineering room. "Another blackout. Second time in this week."

"This had been a reoccurring problem; you should stop your destructive living habits and reliance of coffee. Maybe I should schedule an appointment with-"

"Thank you for your concern." Ye wen raised his hand to stop Magnus Opus. "That wouldn't be necessary."

He stared at the ceiling, before cracking up a laugh.

"Each night, a familiar dream revisits me, reminding me the path I have chosen to walk. Have things went differently back then, would I become more of a devil or an angel?"

"Professor, I shall prepare the recording."

* * *

-XXXX Years ago-

"Why are you constantly picking on my meal?" the young Ye wen asked as his best friend, Nicholas, took his small carton and drank it. "Remind me again, aren't Ace pilots paid highly or have the war result in paying peanuts as salaries?"

"We are, it just that I spent all of them."

"Payday was yesterday!"

"Time sure flies." Nicholas replied, with a stupid grin on his face.

"What did you spend it on?"

"Something majestic. It came in last night via air shipments."

"I swear, if its another one of your over-sized Master Grade mech models taking up my experimental mech hangars, I will burn your entire collections with chemical fire."

Nicholas turned to the side, laughing nervously.

"Whatever could you mean, haha-Hahahaha"

As the two walked in the hangar after their lunch, Nicholas ran like an excited child towards the mech that was covered up by a giant white cloth.

"Let me present to you, the one and only, LIGER!" Nicholas pulls down the cloth, revealing the snow-white Liger mech underneath it. "Beautiful and Majestic, isn't she."

As Nicholas turned around, Ye Wen was holding his makeshift Flamethrower, he turned the valve that released a sound of gas escaping the container.

"Hold on, Hold on." Nicholas waved his hands in panic, "This is one of the kinds and she works well in all environment, a limited edition mech to put it in simpler terms."

Ye wen lowered his flamethrower before putting it aside.

"Liger class mech are notorious for their power consumption! The only reason they were limited is due to the manufacture doesn't want to lose money on such a useless mech."

"Shhhh-Shhh-Shhh! You will hurt her feeling!"

"It is a mech, it does not have feeling."

"You can't prove that!" Nicholas protested. "It's like saying A.I doesn't have feeling."

"You do know I can still hear you." Ye Wen's data pad began to talk.

"Sorry about that comment, Magnus Opus."

"Go and ask for a refund, this Mech is nothing more than a vase." Ye Wen still couldn't believe his eyes that Nicholas went to ordered this mech without him knowing.

That's not right, Ye Wen knew about Nicholas obsessions since the day it was showcase on the technology show floor. It was love at first sight for Nicholas, except it was a mech and not a girl.

"I refuse and I'm going to prove you wrong." Nicholas replied, crossing his arms.

"What are you, a kid trapped in an adults' body?" Ye Wen groaned. "Fine, if it can pass the test that I set up for my experimental mech, I will allow it to stay and transfer funds into making it better."

"Gentleman keeps his promise."

"Gentleman keeps his promise."

* * *

BEEEEEEEP

Clay pigeons flew into the sky in the test site. The Vulcan pods, located at the side of the Liger, began to spin and unloads rounds after rounds, scoring of seventy-five in accuracy.

Decent accuracy results for sure but it wasn't enough to convince Ye Wen.

Next was battle simulation.

Ye Wen expected Nicholas pull of some sort of strategy to overcome the shortcoming of Liger. Maybe running in circles and uses any weaponry on Liger.

BEEEEEEEP

Liger did not strafe, did not avoid gun fire by running in circles.

"A head long charge?!"

"WHOOOOOHOOOOOOOO!" Nicholas voice could be heard, charging into hordes of enemies and began ripping through in a straight line.

Ye Wen felt a hand placed on his shoulder.

"Busy?"

"Ruf, I can never understand how he survive as long as he did." Ye Wen replied without the need to confirm the identity of the person placing his hand.

"Maybe one day we will understand."

"Do you really have to leave?"

"Works demands some sacrifices. Besides, we have located potential subjects for the project to progress."

"I hope to see your project bare fruits. Maybe even stop these needless conflicts and we can advance other aspects of sciences! Maybe building something that celebrates Life instead of basking in the glory of Death."

"I hope so too; I must go now."

"Safe flight." Ye Wen waved from the back as Rufus walked away.

"How is it? Did I pass with flying colours?"

Nicholas asked as he hops off the cockpit and lands on the platform.

"By passing you meant a decent score and a death wish, Yes, you did pass with flying colours."

Ye Wen sighed as he taps on the Data pad. Magnus Opus did a quick analysis on the Liger to pin point which area needed to be improved on.

"That meant no need for the refunds?"

Ye Wen looked to the side, gritting his teeth as he refused to answer that.

"Come on, say it. Say it" Nicholas grinned as he tried to catch the expression of Ye Wen face with his phone.

"Fine! It can stay. I will work on the improvements to this machine."

"She has a name. Liger! Liger! "

"Repeating those words won't help change my view on it." Ye Wen replied with mild annoyance. "I swear, this machine would be your grave without those upgrades it needed badly."

"Don't worry, with the ace pilot at helm, even a mech armed with sticks and stones could take down at least three Union mechs, ten with my skills."

"Show off"

"Come on, tell me how you are going to improve Liger over a drink." Nicholas hangs his arm around Ye Wen neck as both of them leaves the hangar.

"You are paying it."

"Come on, help a brother out, will you. Just a drink, its not like I'm asking for a whole bar."


	7. Chapter 7

[Episode 7: Mechanical Heaven part 2]

Solving the power requirement for Liger was easy, simply replacing the default generators with the twin HELIOS prototype generators. However, it turned Liger into a walking nuclear weapon if there's a need to scuttle it during the battle.

Weaponries wasn't a problem since ESU research facility had tons of them laying about, most of them were rusting or collecting dust. The quartermaster was eager to get rid of those weapons from the storage.

"They look slightly out of place." Nicholas said as he used his fingers on form a frame when examining the Liger weaponry. "It like asking the enemy to shoot me because I'm more armed than the others."

"Do you have any idea how much time is needed to build a weapon from blueprint? Be grateful that you aren't going to the battlefield with Vulcan pods. Most damage those could do to the Vanguard and Union armours are scratches and dents."

"I understand, I understand. Hear me out first." Nicholas pointed to the back of the Liger. "Maybe adding a twin cannon that are small enough to be hidden behind Liger's mane when deployed and have them elevated during the charge. Liger's head and mane are slightly lower to avoid getting hit by the cannons.

"That's an interesting idea." Ye Wen admitted that was a great idea that Nicholas suggested. A general design of the twin cannon could be visualised as Ye Wen stared at the Liger.

"Doctor, there's a message. Listed as urgent." Magnus Opus voice could be heard.

"Set up and Record."

"Doctor, this is-"

"Skip the formality, Raq. Only you listed every message you sent as urgent." Ye Wen said as he played with the design on the holographic table. "The weapons that were ship for the Striders becoming ineffective on the western front?"

"Still refusing to refer people with their ranks. Typical." Raquel Marlin replied on her end, "Yes and No."

"Don't keep the suspends."

"The Union created counter measures." Raquel Marlin sent the pictures of newer models of Spider tanks and Fighters.

"Crude in design, yet effective." Nicholas whispered as he looked at the designs. "They are getting desperate if they are improving their current models."

"So what's the other information?"

"The higher ups want you to rebase with the ACE pilots. There were reports of Union spies infiltrating into research bases and kidnapping key researches. They aren't risking to have you capture too."

"How nice for the higher ups to care for the little guys." Ye Wen replied with a sarcastic tone.

"Hornbill escorts are on their way to pick you up." Raquel Marlin signed off.

"So much for having a comfortable life." Nicholas walked towards the lift. "I will help prep the items and ready my team."

"Magnus Opus, delete all previous logs and data that couldn't be transfer. Flood the Data storage with junks data and images." Ye Wen paused for a second. "Put the lock, only way to unlock it by solving a riddle."

"Roger."

* * *

At the cover of night, one shadow figure infiltrates into the facility where Ye Wen was. The objective was to salvage any data left over.

Dodging through the skeleton crew of securities in the facility and the maze-like passage, the figure reached the Data centre.

The figure pulls out a cable from the wrist and attempted to hack into the data storage.

"What illness can a steam bun treat?"

That was the final lock before accessing the Data.

"What?"

The figure was confused, there weren't any other way to break through. Scattered fragments of the recording logs that were dug out did not help.

Hours after hours past, the figure could not figure out the answer. The belly began to protest with grumbling sound.

"it couldn't be-" The figure keyed the answer. "Hunger."

"ACCESS GRANTED."

"Now transferring the data" Before the figure could move another muscle, the security team storm in and guns down the intruder without hesitation.

"Target neutralized."

* * *

"Hey Captain, why bring along that mech of yours?" One of Aces asked as they passed the time chatting and laughing on the Hornbills.

"That is my weapon to win the upcoming battles." Nicholas replied with a smile.

"That no different from fighting an enemy, that is armed with a gun, with stick and stones."

"Captain did defeat your ass back at the Selection test with stick and stones while you are armed with a gun." The other pilot interrupted.

"That was lucky, I wasn't feeling well during the Selection test. I demand a rematch someday Captain,"

"Sure, we could invite the Union to watch us fight too, maybe at a giant stadium or so."

Everyone laughed on the plane on Nicholas response, except Ye Wen, who is busy on his data pad.

Ye Wen had to keep up on the latest developments that others in his field have created. Rufus tried to clone himself with hilarious results, experimental tech suits, etc.

"Dollar for your thoughts?"

"As if you can afford it in the first place." Ye Wen replied as he lowered his Data pad. "Pray that you do not want to experience having to argue with your clone self that has similar knowledge. It's not a pleasant sight."

"To be fair, I do not want to know what else ESU had been doing beside making mass weapons of destruction."

"Les Enfants Terribles."

"What? The Elephant turnips?"

"Never mind. Another Union spy tried to access the Data storage back at our base."

"What happen to the spy?"

Ye Wen gestured a thumbs down after raising it horizontally.

"oof, the clean up crew isn't going to have a good time."

"We are reaching Delta base, please do not move or jump off the Hornbill as we descend." The pilot remarked through the speaker.

Engineers began unloading the cargoes from the Hornbills. Nicholas personally pilot Liger to the hangar as he did not want others to handle her.

"What brings you to the front line," A girl with red hair, that were tied into twin tails, greeted Ye Wen as he focused on the Data pad after alighting. "Big brother."


	8. Chapter 8

[Chapter 8: Mechanical Heaven part 3]

"Ye Ying"

Brother and sister hugged each other. Ye Wen could see a tail attachment around Ye Ying's waist.

"It's been a while, big brother." Ye Ying smiled for a moment, before looking around. Her tail responds along by looking the opposite direction. "Did that idiot follow you along?"

"Nicholas? He is loading Liger at the hangar; he had grown attach to that thing. It seems that you have a friendly competition on your hand."

"Who-Who is competing for him! That machine can have him and I wouldn't care one bit."

"What's with the tail attachment on the waist?"

"This?" The tail lowered its end beside Ye Ying's face. "My personal helper, quite useful for reaching stuffs on high places without a ladder. That said, why are you at the front-line?"

"It seems that Union are trying to capture high priority targets, Vanguard think it is the best interest to move me here with the Ace pilots as my escort."

"Strange, I thought you were moving towards the western front, they must made last minute changes. Typical." Ye Ying sighed.

"Since I'm here, where could I set up a lab for my own usage?"

Before Ye Ying could reply, a figure stalk ever closer and burst out in surprise. The arms wrapped around her waist.

"Darling~!" Nicholas lifted the petite Ye Ying like a doll and rub his cheek against her. "I miss you so much~"

"Unhand me!" Ye Ying shouted as her tail began to charge up. The tail aimed at Nicholas's suit and proceed to shock him like a taser gun.

"Waaaaaaaaaaa" Nicholas dropped onto the ground, his suit showed signs of electric current flowing.

Ye Wen picked up a stick nearby to poke at Nicholas, making sure he isn't dead.

* * *

"I still do not get why you prefer to work in the front line." Ye Wen walked beside Ye Ying, who was guiding them to an empty lab.

"I give me a sense of urgency to any invention I'm going to make." Ye Ying replied as she points to the room. "A constant reminder that every second worth the life of the people here."

As Ye Wen looks around the room, he noticed a sphere looking object at the end of the room.

"What's that?"

"One of my many failed experiments. It seems that people are unwilling to be the lab rat after telling them the side effect."

"Oh? What is that?"

"Losing of one self-individualism." Ye Ying placed her hand on that sphere.

"In order to achieve?"

"A Hive Mind. Imagine, an ace pilot controlling and sharing information to the rookies without the need for words. The rookies become coordinated, without holding back by fear or any negative feeling that would affect their judgement in the fire fight."

"What give you the idea for this invention?"

"The end of any conflict is what I had in mind. Ace pilots at the Vanguard side is dwindling, even if the higher ups refused to admit. Casualties of Rookies, fresh from cadet pilot schools, are staggering. The enemies have no problem replenishing it's ranks. Even if the Vanguard won every battle, they will eventually lose the war."

Ye Wen looked at the Sphere, thinking on Ye Ying words.

"History will repeat itself if we do not break the norms."

"All I need is a test subject." Ye Ying lowers her head in disappointment.

"You found one!" Nicholas raised his hand.

"Are you crazy? You are the ace pilot of- - -how would I account if anything else happens to you." Ye Ying was surprised on how willing Nicholas showed, even to the extend of standing in front of the sphere.

"I have done crazier things. In the battlefield and love." Nicholas showed a grin on his face. "Besides, I have complete faith that your project will change the world."

"Why didn't I get such anticipation from you back at the research base?" Ye Wen asked.

"What are you, jealous?" Nicholas laughed.

Ye Ying showed a smile on her face, activating the Sphere, showing a seat inside.

Nicholas made himself comfortable, before the Sphere close on him.

"Preparing to activate LETHE" Ye Ying said as she ran through the programs from the computer attached to the Sphere. "Please relax and do not fidget around in the machine."

"Hearing your voice is all I need to relax in here." Nicholas replied back.

Ye Wen watched as the Sphere began to light up.

* * *

"What can you see?" Ye Ying voice could be heard.

"Darkness. Emptiness." Nicholas replied back. "kind of lonely in here."

"It is expected, after all, you are the only one hook into the machine."

"If this is meant to connect to the mind, that meant I could change the area too?"

"Yes, what do you plan to do?"

Nicholas began redecorating the area with his thoughts. Starting with brightening up the area and filling it up with furniture and stage, just like the theater they went.

Ye Ying couldn't believe the data she was getting from Nicholas.

"You have spent enough time in there, I'm plugging you out just for safety."

"One more minute." Nicholas replied as he sat at the seat, looking at the theater that he has designed. "Maybe one day, all of us could return there and finish watching the play."

Nicholas body began to fade away as the machine began to shut down. At his place, a figure sat and watched the empty theater.

The sphere dims down the light as it opens up the door. Nicholas exited the machine, looking fine as normal.

"Are you feeling any side effects?"

"Yes. Madm. I. Am. Just. Fine." Nicholas pretend to speak and moved like a robot. This earn him a pinch on the cheek from Ye Ying's tail.

"With the data collected, do you think you are able to complete your project?"

"Current situation, is slightly difficult to get approval. Besides, project Gen-lock is taking the interest of the higher ups and the funding. What we are left with are scraps."

"Rufus, that man never cease to get attention from the ESU, Higher ups, Vanguard or the Union." Ye Wen sighed.


End file.
